1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner refill device comprising: a first adapter unit defining a first refill opening; a first closure member attached to the first adapter unit and movable between a closed position in which it closes the first refill opening, and a second position; a second adapter unit defining a second refill opening; and a second closure member attached to the second adapter unit and movable between a closed position in which it closes the second refill opening, and an open position, said second closure member having a passage forming element that connects the first and second refill openings when the second closure member is in the open position, wherein the second adapter unit defines an accommodation space for accommodating the passage forming element when the second closure member is in the closed position, and wherein the first and second closure members are adapted to be coupled to one another for a joint movement relative to the first and second adapter units.
2. Description of Background Art
Toner refill devices are used for refilling toner powder in copying or printing machines. Since the toner powder is very fine and easily dispersed, the refill device should be designed such that it prevents objects in environment and/or the hands of a user using the refill device from becoming stained with toner powder.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,243 B1 discloses a toner refill device of the type described above. The first adapter unit is permanently attached to a toner bottle, whereas the second adapter unit is permanently attached to a toner reservoir of the printer or copier. In order to refill toner from the bottle into the toner reservoir, the bottle is placed in an inverted position on top of the second adapter unit, so that the two adapter units can be coupled to one another. Then, the closure members are jointly moved into their respective open positions, whereby the passage forming element is brought into a position in which it connects the first and second refill openings, so that toner powder may drop from the bottle into the toner reservoir under the action of gravity. Inevitably, the internal walls of the passage forming element become stained with toner powder in this process. However, when the closure members are moved back into the closed position, the passage forming element will be moved into the accommodating space which then shields the environment against the toner powder that adheres to the walls of the passage forming element. Thus, the risk of polluting the environment can largely be eliminated.
In the known device, the second closure member and the passage forming element are configured as a drawer that is linearly slideable in the second adapter unit. In an inactive position, the closure member closes the second refill opening, and the passage forming element is accommodated in the accommodating space in a position laterally offset from the second refill opening. When the drawer is slid into a refill position, the passage forming element is brought into a position in which it is flush with the second refill opening, whereas the closure member assumes a laterally offset position on the side of the second refill opening opposite to the accommodation space.